Sibelius: A very modest artiste with ‘great glory’
By Cezary Owerkowicz
time ago some men said the Finns are a nation of lumbermen. Nonetheless, we know they are adamant, hard-working and earthlyminded, as strong as the nature has shaped them to be and you will find that description (lumbermen) — realistic. Every Finn is proud of ‘Three S’: Sibelius, sauna and sisu.
Do you know what sauna is? It is a ‘wooden bath’, with clouds of hot steam produced by burning wood or coals which helps a bather perspire from time to time and then you jump out of the bath and into the ‘snow’ to cool and/or to harden your body and — character. In the country with a population of c-a 5.5 million citizens (in the eighth largest country in Europe) there are 3.3 million saunas.
Sisu is difficult to explain. It is about stiffnecked people’s virtues such as endurance, power, will, stubbornness, fortitude, braveness, proud and determination.
Sisu is important for Finns because the history experienced them a lot. Throughout the centuries they were ruled by Swedish Kings and later the Russian Tsar. After gaining independence the country entered the civil war and the crises of the 1930s hurled them into the world of unimaginable poverty. When they began to taste better life they also felt the need to fight the Soviet invasion.
Identity Temporary success brought them the admiration of the West but at a cruel cost: alliance with Hitler against Stalin, ceding part of (Karelia), huge war reparations and limited sovereignty for half-a-century (even embracing finlandization).
In spite of the hardships brought about by the circumstances the Finns became a very prosperous, democratic, social oriented country. Their hard work and accompanying success was the most spectacular while most of us used Nokia mobiles during the last few decades. Nokia unfortunately lost its position to other gadgets however the Third S — Sibelius still exists and has become even stronger on world music stages because Dec 2015 celebrates his 150th anniversary.
Jean (real name Johan Julius Christian) Sibelius was born on Dec 8, 1865 in Hameenlinna in a Swedish speaking family. However, the young Jean was sent to the Finnish-speaking school. This was the time for searching and strengthening national identity. In art, including music, the rapid rise in Romantic Nationalism in Europe was inspired by the philosophy of German thinker G.W.F. Hegel (1770-1831) and had a profound effect on the educational system. Simultaneously Jean studied violin, dreamt of becoming a virtuoso and even as a teenager played with orchestra in Helsinki Mendelssohn Violin Concerto.
After school he began to study law but was more interested in music so he switched to the Helsinki Music Institute (now Sibelius Academy). He continued his post graduate studies in Berlin and Vienna, but as a young composer. ‘It was a very painful awakening when I had to admit that I began my training for exacting the career of a (violin) virtuoso too late,’ he wrote.
Initially enthusiastic, Wagnerian even travelled to Bayreuth Festival and after attending the opera ‘Parsifal’ shortly thereafter he wrote: ‘Nothing in the world has made such an impression on me; it moves the very strings of my heart.’ Not for long he was soon liberated from the tyranny of Opera Guru, calling Wagner music pompous and vulgar and then turned his eyes, ears and heart to Peter Tchaikovsky, Ferruccio Busoni and Anton Bruckner. Tchaikovsky’s influences are seen (or rather heard!) in first major and until now popular Sibelius works at the First Symphony and lovely Violin Concerto.
Landscape The young composer married when he was 27 and had six daughters. They lived in their home called Ainola on Lake Tuusula. Sibelius loved nature and the Finnish landscape often served as material for his music.
About his 6th Symphony he wrote: ‘It always reminds me of the scent of the first snow.’ The forest surrounding of Ainola are often said to have inspired his composition of ‘Tapiola’ (Tone Poem Op. 112). His biographer, Erik. W. Tawastjerna wrote: ‘Even by Nordic standards, Sibelius responded with exceptional intensity to the moods of nature and the changes of seasons: he scanned his skies with his binoculars for the geese flying over the lake ice, listening to the screech of the cranes, and heard the cries of the curlew echo over the marshy grounds just below Ainola. He savored the spring blossoms every bit as much as he did autumnal scents and colors.’
Except for contemplation and love for Finnish nature Sibelius travelled abroad. With family he spend some time in favorite Italy but as soon as he got international acclaim he composed, conducted and socialized in other Scandinavian countries as well as the UK, France and Germany.
In 1914 he went to the United States where he was awarded ‘The Composer of The Year’ at the Norfolk Festival in Connecticut, premiering his Symphonic Poem ‘The Oceanides’ commissioned by millionaire Carl Stoeckel. The famous conductor Eugene Ormandy and to a lesser extent, his predecessor Leopold Stokovski were instrumental in bringing ‘Sibelius’ music to American audiences by programming his works often.
Sibelius composed prolifically until the mid 1920s. However after completing his 7th Symphony (1924), ‘The Tempest’ (music inspired by Shakespeare) and above mentioned poem ‘Tapiola’ he produced no major works for almost the last thirty years of his life. ‘If I cannot write a better symphony than my Seventh, then it shall be my last,’ he said.
His wife recalled: ‘In the 1940s there was a great auto da fe at Ainola. My husband collected a number of manuscripts in a laundry basket and burned them on the open fire in the dining room which destroyed parts of ‘Karelia Suite’. I later saw remains of the pages which had been torn out — and many other things. I did not have the strength to be present and left the room. I therefore do not know what he threw on to the fire. But after this my husband became calmer and gradually lighter in mood.’
Manuscripts Nobody knows the madness or such self-criticism of a perfectionist. He passed away on Sept 20, 1957. And his music resurrected from ashes as The Fenix.
The American avant-garde composer, Morton Feldman spoke about him during a lecture: ‘The people you think are radicals might really be conservative — the people you think are conservative might be radical’. Sibelius has fallen in and out of fashion, but remains one of the most popular 20th century symphonist, both the concert hall and record. BIS Records in major editorial project systematically records every note left in special Sibelius Edition.
The Helsinki Music Centre produces an illustrated and narrated Sibelius Finland Experience show every day during the summer 2015 (will continue to do so also in 2016 and 2017) at least. The Finnish 100 mark bill featured his image until it was taken out of circulation when the euro was adopted. Since 2011 Finland has celebrated a Flag Day on Dec 8, the composer’s birthday, also known as the ‘Day of Finnish Music’.
In my childhood I concerted few times in Sweden or Denmark but never in Finland. A few years ago we went on tour around Scandinavia up to always frozen and windy North Cap throughout beautiful Norway, Sweden and — Finland.
Later we visited among other things the Santa Claus in Rovaniemi, Lapland (I have a picture as a proof!) and the Sibelius monument in Helsinki. It is like gathering many, various size and shapes organ pipes, coming from different directions to join together in a fiery harmony. Not huge, impressive statue. More love than respect. Discrete love ... Really great!
Speaking of hot spot of love? I remember in spite of legendary Nordic cold there was ‘so hot’ only a delicious ice cream which helped us to survive.
Editor’s
Note: